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Electro-shock Batons

Mrs. Clwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department which companies have been granted licences under section 5 of the Firearms Act 1968 to handle, distribute, store or manufacture electro-shock batons in the last five years. [22969]

Mr. Maclean: Section 5(1)(b) of the Firearms Act 1968 prohibits the possession, purchase, acquisition, manufacture, sale and transfer of electric shock weapons without the authority of the Secretary of State. No company has been granted or has held authority under this section specifically in respect of electric shock weapons in the last four years. No current authorities are in place in respect of electric shock weapons. Information about the granting of authority for that purpose in earlier years could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Mrs Clwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many police forces in Britain have acquired electro-shock batons, for any purpose, including as samples, in the last five years; and if section 5 firearms licences have been granted in relation to these items. [22968]

Mr. Maclean: The Home Office does not collect information on this subject. I understand that a survey by the Association of Chief Police Officers of electric shock devices held by police forces in England and Wales in February 1995 found that 22 had obtained electric shock shields and, in some cases, cattle prods for use against

28 Mar 1996 : Column: 679

ferocious dogs. Police forces do not require licensing or authorisation under the Firearms Act 1968 in relation to these articles.

Artyom M. Tarasov

Mr. Allason: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will rescind the alien registration certificate granted to Artyom M. Tarasov, holder of Dominican Republic passport No. 0311705 issued on 19 February 1991, and Soviet diplomatic passport No. 0035492. [23051]

Mr. Kirkhope: I am aware of no reason to depart in this case from the requirement to register with the police, as provided for in paragraph 325 of the immigration rules.

Cock Fighting

Mr. Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many persons have been convicted of organising cock fighting tournaments in each year since 1987. [22956]

Mr. Maclean: The information requested cannot be identified separately from other summary offences.

Closed Circuit Television

Mr. Alex Carlile: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many publicly funded CCTV cameras have been reported stolen; and if he will make a statement. [23138]

Mr. Maclean: This information is not collected centrally.

Fire Services

Mr. Alex Carlile: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the total finances made available, by source, for each fire service in England and Wales, as indicated from returns from local authority budget setting for each of the last five years for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement. [23139]

Mr. Sackville: Returns from local authorities showing expenditure on fire services do not provide the requested information about the source of revenue spending. Local government revenue settlement resources are, in general, not hypothecated to specific services such as fire.

Abiodun Igbinidu

Mr. Alex Carlile: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what decision he has made in respect of the application for asylum made by Abiodun Igbinidu from Nigeria; and if he will make a statement. [23142]

Mr. Kirkhope: Abiodun Igbinidu's application to stay in the United Kingdom was refused on 1 August 1995 and his appeal was dismissed on 15 November. Leave to appeal to the tribunal was subsequently refused on 29 November. Further representations and evidence on Mr. Igbinidu's behalf have been submitted. His application is being given further consideration and a decision will be made as soon as possible.

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Farm Watch

Mr. Alex Carlile: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on farm watch crime prevention schemes. [23145]

Mr. Maclean: The Government recognise that the most effective response to rural crime is a partnership between the police and the local community. We encourage crime prevention schemes which enable members of the public--with the support of the local police--to do something positive in the fight against crime.

We believe that over 500 farm watch schemes across England and Wales can make a significant impact on crime in the countryside.

Mr. Carlile: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the estimated number of people involved in farm watch crime prevention schemes. [23146]

Mr. Maclean: There are over 500 farm watch schemes across England and Wales. These vary in size; information on the number of people involved is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Police Research Group

Mr. Michael: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list each of the specific topics for which an application was received by his Department under each round to date of the police research group programme and indicate (a) which was successful and (b) the amount of money agreed in respect of each successful application. [23012]

Mr. Maclean [holding answer 27 March 1996]: Phase 1 of the Home Office police research group's police operations against crime programme was launched in 1993. One hundred and forty-one applications for research funds were received under this round, and 19 were successful. Phase 3 was launched in 1995, producing 113 applications, of which 12 were successful. In both phases, some applications covered the same topic. The following tables list each of the applications received under each of these phases of the programme. Applications for research topics were not invited under phase 2 of the programme, which commissioned work to develop specific topics begun under phase 1. All costs shown exclude value added tax and travelling and subsistence expenses.

Police operations against crime: police research group programme
Phase I

Successful applicationsCost (£)
Review of the management of serious crime investigations40,718
Skill gaps in specialist investigative interviewing35,000
Recruitment, development and handling of informants24,625
High volume crime and the efficacy of scientific support40,513
Forensic expertise/services in investigation of major and serious crime against the person25,320
Investigation and detection of child sex abuse16,850
Crime profiling for residential burglaries92,740
The prevention and detection of repeated burglary and car crime86,829
Efficiency and effectiveness of central squads77,330
The crime allocation system: police investigations into burglary and auto crime75,950
Performance indicators for local anti-drugs strategies: a preliminary analysis89,708
Development and evaluation of a national crime management model102,257
An evaluation of police response to armed robbery39,723
Asset investigation, seizure and confiscation38,118
Intelligence, surveillance and informants36,910
Combating burglary: an evaluation of three strategies37,567
Presenting police evidence in court36,438
Disrupting the distribution of stolen electrical goods41,000
Evaluation strategy for resource management68,126

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    Evaluation of video evidence for robberies
    Increasing arrest rates for burglaries
    Selecting effective detectives
    A strategic approach to firearms incidents
    Divisional crime desks: flow of crime solving information
    Operation Bumblebee: public and police perceptions
    Multi agency approach to organised crime
    Effectiveness of Operation Bumblebee
    Target hardening
    Reducing lost days at court
    Methods of handling witnesses
    Understanding and resolving organisational issues of centralisation and devolution
    Effective management of interfaces with other bodies
    Resource management priorities
    Employing civilians in surveillance teams

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    Review of minor office crime
    Catalysing new strategic thinking to address local crime
    Review of communications of individual research findings
    Resource allocation decisions in CIDs
    Countering ambush defence in serious investigations
    Developing of a new criminal investigation management system
    Evaluation of burglary control and prevention
    Fear of crime and car park design
    Examination of the policing of racial attacks
    Cross border crime and inter-force collaboration
    Detection of serious crime against homosexuals
    Central or specialist units dealing with crime
    Use of forensic evidence in investigation of burglary
    Evaluating Metropolitan Police's evidence project (EPIC)
    Incidence and migration of burglary and autocrime
    Computer aided targeting: response to high volume crime
    Resource implications of different types of police activity
    Research consultancy to No. 5 region
    Review of factors affecting the ability and willingness of officers to cultivate informants
    Prevalence of informant handling among specialist and non-specialist Met. Police officers
    Assessment of interview practice in child abuse cases
    Improving and refining video child witness interviews
    Strategic crime management and improving service delivery
    Linguistic model of eliciting/interpreting responses of victims
    Schools liaison: best practice for the 1990s
    Burglary investigation process
    Workload planning in the police service
    Intelligence process review: from Basic Command Unit to mid-tier
    Effect of the right to silence
    Using squads effectively

    Phase III

    Successful applicationsCost (£)
    Proactive policing in Merseyside35,680
    The British organised crime survey: a pilot8,973
    An audit of training for child sexual abuse investigators36,483
    The use of medical specialists by police forces27,548
    Tackling the rural drug problem47,035
    Police operations against child sexual abuse: prevention and detection57,464
    Criminal use of firearms: a qualification and comparison of force strategic responses60,000
    Comparative evaluation of Operation 'Eagle Eye'82,440
    Solving non-residential burglary(6)--
    Investigation of training initiatives taken to reduce level of abstractions(6)--
    Study into the theft of computer hardware and component parts53,186
    Unheralded successes in crime control40,000

    (6) The cost of these projects are still to be formally agreed.




    Unsuccessful applications
    The impact of crime upon small business
    Controlling crime in shopping centres: public policing or private security
    An investigation of firearms officers' memory for firearms incidents
    An evaluation of cognitive interview training
    Targeting offenders: proactive intelligence gathering and processing

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    Review of drugs intelligence procedures
    Local area policing as a vehicle for integrated crime management
    Evaluating police response to commercial burglary: a good practice guide
    The targeting of offenders
    Development of effective tasking and coordinating strategies for area management teams
    The community impact of drug law enforcement strategies
    An analysis of the targeting and displacement of violent crime
    The targeting of sexual offenders
    Police perceptions of nature and extent of organised crime in UK
    An evaluation of the Basic Command Unit system of policing
    Impact of limited tenure policies on investigation of serious crime
    Review of the strategic management and effectiveness of volunteers supporting proactive policing
    Police/juvenile crime: strategic resource model for multi-agency partnerships
    Police resource deployment and crime control strategies
    The impact of arrest and prosecution on domestic violence
    Development of a national intelligence-driven police/prison liaison model for organised crime
    Effectiveness of police arrangements for dealing with domestic violence
    Police response to guidance on tenure
    Maximising the effectiveness of tenure policy
    Assessment of cross-border crime/police issues in English Channel region
    Impact of tenure on police operations
    The development of a demand management strategy for the police service
    Intelligence for proactive policing by shire forces: Cumbria case study
    Impact of female street prostitution for growth of crime and drugs
    Crime against businesses: victimisation and crime prevention on Merseyside
    The investigation of major and serious violent crime
    Investigating organised crime in London
    The firearms market in the UK



    Measuring the nature, extent and effect of computer and microchip theft
    Analysis of commercial computer theft, and development of risk profile
    Impact of mobile telecommunications on the commissioning and execution of crime
    The benefits and costs of proactive policing
    Preventing violence in pubs and clubs
    The replacement of arrested street-level drug dealers
    Prioritising the investigation of serious and criminal gangs
    Offender--directed investigations and resource management
    Thresholds in child protection investigation
    Police strategies to tackle burglaries against commercial premises
    Proactive approaches to 'shoplifting'
    Intelligence from crime scene imagery
    A study into the completeness and availability of fraud information
    Evaluation of Toller Lane proactive crime management model
    Application of tenure policies and practices
    Disrupting the distribution of stolen electrical goods: phase I in Suffolk

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    Burglary from commercial premises of information technology: a comparison of force strategies
    Resourcing crime-related work: good practice in workload allocation
    Credit card abuse/fraud: can businesses help improve police detection?
    Networks against crime: investigation into organised computer based crime
    Investigation of child sexual abuse: criteria in police decision-making
    Criminal intelligence in prisons
    The deployment of detectives
    The impact of tenure on police operations
    Caravan thefts
    Art and antique theft
    The security of Post Office counters
    Diverting drug misusers from the criminal justice system: evaluation of a rural multi-agency strategy
    Examining dynamics of repeated victimisations of domestic dwellings
    Examining dynamics of repeated armed robbery involving commercial premises
    Violent crime on Merseyside: evaluation of proactive policing
    Organised crime: a literature review
    Evaluating special policing initiative against organised high value car theft
    Targeting criteria: research on drugs enforcement in Kent



    Comparative, process approach to evaluating measures against organised crime
    Careers of organised criminals and the structuring of organised crime in England/Wales
    Improving usefulness of forensic science in investigation of volume crime
    The implication of changes in retailing
    Intelligence issues in 'civilianisation' of drugs enforcement in the Metropolitan Police
    An operational BCU model for multi-agency action on community safety
    Shoplifting: the effects of changes in location/organisation of retail shopping
    A strategic approach to targeting offenders
    The impact of deploying proactive resources against targeted offenders
    Impact of tenure on police operations
    Succeeding with integrated proactive policing
    Organised crime: the theft of stolen high value vehicles
    Potential of commercial business analysis models against organised crime
    Impact of models of resource allocation on service strategy and performance
    Evaluation of investigations into female sexual assaults: Northumbria

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    Police responses to computer-related theft from non-residential premises
    How different models of proactivity affect resourcing of crime-related work
    Impact of tenure policy on police operations/implications for resource management
    Investigating and detecting street robbery
    Managers' use of crime pattern analysis system in resource allocation
    The development of effective proactive policing schemes
    Targeting schemes: what works?
    Business Watch Schemes: a three site review
    The 'Counter Action' initiative: an evaluation
    Tagging vehicles: asset tracking to combat theft and fraud
    Local crime analysis: good practice in proactive policing of robbery and drug street crimes
    The role of middle managers in the police
    The security of filling stations
    Tackling non-residential repeat burglary
    Improving the effectiveness of crime prevention in the planning system
    Measuring and evaluating performance in the detection of organised crime
    Measuring/evaluating performance of inter-agency approaches to violent crime
    Evaluation of police response to violent crime in an interagency context
    Assessing admissibility/sufficiency of evidence in child abuse prosecutions


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